


Shattered Souls

by DaniMeows



Series: Salted Caramel Macarons [9]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Sugar, Alya Salt, Angst, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth Redemption, Identity Reveal, Lila salt, Miss Bustier salt, Nino salt, Suicide Attempt, Tom and Sabine salt, it'll hurt before it gets better, ml salt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:54:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23587966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaniMeows/pseuds/DaniMeows
Summary: Lila Rossi had been a useful tool. Open to akumatizations and lacking a sense of remorse or morals. As Gabriel he'd encouraged her to keep Adrien away from undesirables. Miss Dupain Cheng loved his son, surely she'd be akumatized over it.She did not. She had still kept going. Lila had kept up the turning of everyone against her.Still, she did not give in.And then she did.Not to his akuma.She hung herself.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Salted Caramel Macarons [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1655218
Comments: 226
Kudos: 1283





	1. Gabriel's Lament

**Author's Note:**

> This is very very very different from my normal works. This one will be angsty from the get go. It will talk about the aftermath of a suicide attempt and how it affects everyone around Marinette.
> 
> If reading about suicide triggers you please don't read this! Move on to the next fic I'm about to post which is pure fluff or to another writer's works all together.
> 
> I was suicidal from the time I was 10 years old until I was about 20 and away from both my bullies and my abusers. It gets better I promise.
> 
> Please, please call a suicide hotline or reach out to someone if you are suicidal. It gets so much better than you feel now.

"What have I done?" Gabriel cried out. Hitting the floor in his despair.

He had destroyed a child. 

Marinette Dupain Cheng was a perfect target. Her akuma would make every other akuma pale in comparison and she might have brought him victory.

Lila Rossi had been a useful tool. Open to akumatizations and lacking a sense of remorse or morals. As Gabriel he'd encouraged her to keep Adrien away from undesirables. Miss Dupain Cheng loved his son, surely she'd be akumatized over it.

She did not. She had still kept going. Lila had kept up the turning of everyone against her. 

Still, she did not give in.

And then she did.

Not to his akuma.

She hung herself. Not at her parents home. At school, so her parents wouldn't be the ones to find her. All of her classmates and teachers had turned against her, she probably assumed they wouldn't care.

Adrien had found her. Adrien had been the one to get her down. He had screamed and raged, begging his Princess not to leave him. Adrien who had held her close and had been in hysterics fighting the teachers who’d tried to take her away from him. Adrien, who’d had to be tranquilized by the paramedics before they’d been able to take the dying child from him.

Adrien was gone. He was either with the girl in body or with her in his mind. He did not talk. He did not smile. All he did was eat, sleep, go to the hospital to sit at the girls bedside. 

He had broken a child. He had broken two children. One of them, his own son. What had he done?

He'd wanted a strong akuma to best Ladybug and Chat Noir. To wish his beloved back to life.

Emilie would not have wanted this.

He hadn’t intended this to happen but he had to take responsibility for his actions.

He had ordered a girl to keep his son away from his friends. He’d refused to allow Adrien to hang out with Marinette outside of school even when his son had begged. When his son had told him how pale and frail she'd seemed. He'd been gleeful that soon he'd have a strong akuma from the girl who'd proven strong enough to resist him more than once. He wasn't gleeful now. 

There was a child barely clinging to life that he'd help break. Two parents living a nightmare he couldn’t even imagine.

He was a monster. A villain. He’d never felt like that until this moment. He'd always had zero regrets for his actions, feeling that getting Emile back was worth it? But this was not worth it.

What had he done?


	2. Child Soldiers are frowned upon for a reason

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to annoyance at the troll commenting on my fic, comments are now moderated. I'll try and unmoderate them in a timely manner so there can still be cool discussions.

That _ Thursday  _ had started like any other Thursday. He'd been up most of the night so he'd slept in a bit before meeting his clients but still it had been an average day until lunch.

During his lunch break, he'd noticed the letter.

Opening it he'd found Marinette's earrings. Had the girl decided to give up her responsibilities? He was ready to go scold the girl he'd considered for becoming the next Guardian about how disappointed he was with her.

He decided to read the note:

_ Dear Master, _

_ I know you must be disappointed and angry with me. But I can't continue as Ladybug or as the next Guardian. _

_ I have been carrying the burden of saving Paris and being the next one to shoulder the burden of training the next Guardian with very little support. _

_ Besides Chat. Who is mostly by my side and with me but I'm not allowed to talk with him about my troubles or feelings because that might reveal who I am. _

_ Tikki doesn't provide support mostly criticism. Endless criticism without listening or caring about my thoughts or feelings. I'm not perfect. I shouldn't be pressured into being perfect at all times. _

_ I'm 14 years old. I received my miraculous at 13 years old. I'm a child soldier. I've seen my partner die more than once. I've always brought him back… but why did you select children? _

_ Especially since adults are stronger? _

_ Then there's my life as Marinette. You were disappointed that I was nearly akumatized twice in one day. No praise for avoiding it, just scolding by you and Tikki for having feelings. _

_ I've lost my friends. They believe a lying sociopath over me. I've lost my family. They too believe a lying sociopath over me. _

_ You and Tikki only care about Marinette as far as ensuring she's this perfect doll that protects Paris and never experiences negative emotions. _

_ The only person I have left that cares is Chat Noir. My kitty. I can't tell him about my pain or curl up and cry because that might give away our identities. Never mind that as teenagers we both could use a way to communicate outside our suits and a support system. _

_ It doesn't matter because I'm done being Ladybug. I'm done being Marinette. _

_ I enclosed a letter for Chat. But I doubt you'll give it to him. But maybe you will because he's allowed to feel negative emotions without being shamed. _

_ Goodbye. _

Seconds after he read that, before he'd even had a chance to process what he'd read, he found out from a panicked Plagg that Marinette had hung herself and was barely alive. After nearly dying in Adrien’s arms.

Plagg had hissed at him and made it clear how he felt about how much pressure they were putting on the young Ladybug without allowing her Cat to support her.

He’d handed the letter included for Adrien to Plagg to get to his holder. He suspected that young Adrien might also have a letter written to him as his civilian self but Marinette’s accusations of him stung and he could do nothing but pass over the letter.

In many ways she was correct. A bit dramatic like children tended to be but he had picked two children and made them soldiers, even though an adult would have been stronger and in a better place mentally perhaps to handle the struggles of being a hero.

He had chosen children because they would be easier to train and that was the way the Guardians had trained in the past. Adults had too much going on and would be more likely to use powers for selfish gain.

Children believed in magic and were more likely to want to be superheros not focusing at first on the reality of what they might have to sacrifice to do it.

_ You and Tikki only care about Marinette as far as ensuring she's this perfect doll that protects Paris and never experiences negative emotions. _

She was wrong. He cared about the compassionate young woman he was training to be the guardian but he also could see why she would think that. He’d assumed that she had the support of the children she’d chosen to give the miraculouses to, that she’d had the support of her parents and Tikki. 

He hadn’t wanted her to grow too attached because Hawk Moth was getting closer to his identity and he didn’t want her to suddenly grieve a loss of a mentor but instead just feel a brief sadness for the eccentric and aloof man that didn’t do all that much for her.

14 years old and utterly convinced that the world would be a better place without her in it. She’d rather die than continue on.

14 years old and convinced that no one would miss Marinette and that Ladybug was all that mattered.

She was right. He was disappointed and angry. But not at the girl who’d been pushed too far by people and circumstances to think that there was no point in living. He was disappointed and angry in himself. Young Marinette had felt that she had no support. In trying to keep too much attachment from forming he’d been yet another burden to a brave young woman.

She’d felt that she only had one supporter but because of identity reasons she’d been unable to confide in the only support she’d had left.

If he’d let them know who each other was under the mask would she have had the support she desperately needed.

He prayed she survived not for Ladybug but for Marinette.


	3. I’m sorry I was such a disappointment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tom and Sabine's chapter. I need to go read and write lots of fluff now.

_ Never say words in anger that you'll regret later.Her mother had tried to teach her that years ago when she was a child. _

__

Laying in her daughter’s bed, clutching onto Kitkat, Marinette’s favorite cat toy as a baby, while weeping Sabine could hear the echo of the time she’d forgotten her Mama’s lesson. The cost wasn’t just regret. The cost was knowing that her own words were part of what drove her daughter to...

__

When their daughter had begun to tell them of a girl,  _ worse than Chloe, Maman, worse than Chloe!  _ They’d assumed it was just teenage drama. Alya and her other friends seemed to like the girl just fine and she’d begun going to photo shoots with Adrien. Alya insisted Marinette was just jealous and they’d agreed. They’d not even considered that Marinette’s feelings might be valid.

__

Then Lila came into the bakery sometimes when Marinette was too busy in her room or elsewhere and she was just a charming, well mannered girl, nothing like that rude brat Chloe. Lila was such a sweet girl. There’s no way she was a liar, who’d threatened Marinette. Their daughter was just creating drama in the name of jealousy.

__

Then came the day that the school had called them about Marinette bullying innocent sweet Lila, sending her rude messages, pushing her down the stairs, stealing Lila’s belongings… And their daughter was expelled.

__

They’d been furious. Not at the school or the girl their daughter had warned them about but at their own daughter.

__

_ “I’m so disappointed in you. I’m ashamed you’re my daughter.”  _

__

The awful words echoed in her head.

__

She’d been angry that her daughter would do such things out of jealousy and become a bully. Where had they gone wrong in teaching her?

__

The next day, Marinette hadn’t spoken to her since that moment. Hadn’t come down for dinner. Now, of course, Sabine knows that her daughter was writing those awful letters. Then she’d just been glad not to have to deal with her suddenly troublesome child.

__

That awful  _ Thursday,  _ The day would always have infamy in Sabine’s world because her daughter had hung herself. But that awful day her daughter had silently made her way downstairs.

__

Had looked over to them, lip quivering slightly, mouth open like she wanted to say something. Her and Tom had both glared at her.

__

She’d left without a sound after that.

__

Now Sabine’s brain fills in how pale she had looked. How her face had filled with a sudden resolve.

__

She was the woman who’d pushed her stressed teen to the edge. Her daughter had hung herself, if it wasn’t for Adrien who had gotten her down, her daughter would be dead.

__

The awful letter.

__

_ I don’t know why I expected you to believe me. Or support me. You never did. Chloe bullied me for years and you did nothing. _

__

_ I told you the truth as I always have. But you, like everyone else, didn’t believe in me. _

__

_ I don’t know why I was surprised. _

__

_ I know I’m clumsy and I have very little self confidence. You helped me with that. How often did you insist that I could carry this or do that because I might trip… Making me feel even less confident in myself. _

__

_ How long did you do nothing while Chloe bullied me at school Never once speaking to the headmaster on my behalf? _

__

_ When Chloe accused me of theft, you berated me right back for accusing someone else of the same. _

__

_ I’m sorry I was such a disappointment. _

__

_ I worked so hard to be a good daughter. A daughter you could be proud of and love. _

__

_ Maybe your next child will be less of a disappointment to you. _

__

  
  
The letter that drove home how hurt their child was. How much damage they had done. They were busy with the bakery and hadn’t wanted to go up against the Mayor but couldn’t they have done something.

__

And Lila. The girl seemed pure and innocent but Marinette was so insistent. Could they have been wrong?

__

Tom couldn’t stop shaking. For the first time in 15 years the bakery was closed and would be closed for the foreseeable future.

__

His baby girl had hung herself. He could still remember the day 14 years ago that he’d been handed a pink wrapped bundle, such a tiny thing for his giant hands. He’d sworn always to protect her.

__

The fact that his daughter had tried to leave the world at age 14 feeling like she had no one and nothing left, showcased his failure.

__

How long had they made her feel like she came in second to their business? That they didn’t believe in her?

__

If she was telling the truth about Lila then she was right to feel like they didn’t believe in her. Why had they believed the others about Lila/Marinette rather than listening to their normally honest and reliable little girl.

__

Lila had been charming when she’d come into their bakery, but even before that, they’d decided that Marinette was exaggerating because of her huge crush on Adrien. 

__

Where had it gone so wrong?

__

Marinette was awake now but would not see them. The psychiatrist in charge of her care had sided with their little girl. Only those people that Marinette was willing to see were allowed anywhere near her.

__

So far that list consisted of Adrien Agreste and Chat Noir. Both boys had been in to see her today. 

__

‘I will uncover the truth and I will be a much better parent after this’, he whispered as he rubbed his shaking hands over his weeping eyes.

__

__


	4. Never been the hero I'd always wanted to be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long delay. I had this chapter mostly finished but I'd hated it and then depression got away from me again. I'm doing much better again, my therapist and psychiatrist were able to find fixes to help me stay safe and yet make progress with my anxiety and bipolar disorder. 
> 
> Then I read what I had today loved it and finished it. Thanks for reading. I'll read and respond to comments soon. Thanks for y'alls love of my babbling emo fics!

**Principal Damocles**

The tape he’d watched seven times by now played before his eyes. It had been sent to and seen by the police, by the school board and several teachers.

A little girl had tried to kill herself in the halls of his school. Bullied by Chloe Bourgeois for years only to be bullied again by Lila Rossi after a few brief months of having friends, enjoying school, and representing her classes.

There were no notes with his name on it. No voices from a girl that had given up telling him how negligent he was.

The video showed some of it. An hour before the incident… No, he should call it what it was. An hour before the suicide attempt.

Marinette, the former class representative, was cornered first by Lila Rossi.

The words had been caught on tape. The incidents were being investigated.

“I told you what would happen if you continued to work against me. Everyone is eating out of my hands no matter how bad the lie is. Your friends are now mine. Your position as rep is mine. Even Adrien prefers my company to yours. No wonder you never had friends until this year. You are worthless and pathetic. Even your parents like me more than they like you. So easy to fake text messages and falls down the stairs. No one even checked for proof, they are considering expulsion... That’s how much they adore me and hate you. You should just give up already, no one wants you here…”

Then others had come in the room and Lila had cried. Marinette had been yelled at by Caline. The child’s eyes were completely empty.

Then there was the suicide attempt itself.

Marinette, because the child that his school had failed, deserved to be called by name, tying a rope. Leaving notes behind.

Adrien Agreste screaming as he runs into the room, cradling her and crying. The teachers and students running out.

From there he doesn’t need the video to recall what happened.

He’d heard the chilling screams. Then other student’s screams. He’d heard the boys wails as he held the girl, begging her not to leave him. To wake up.

He’d watched the girl be loaded onto a stretcher. 

He’d fired Caline Bustier after hearing her blame Marinette for her own suicide attempt, saying that the girl was just trying to get attention and had been a total disappointment. What sort of example was she setting by being worse than Chloe.

That was when he’d decided to watch more than just the tapes that the police had needed to see.

He was glad he’d watched them with the police nearby.

He’d been able to show them all to the cops and not just the threat the day of. They’d caught a few other threats, Lila destroying Marinette’s things and Caline punishing Marinette for being upset. They’d found Chloe joining in with Lila to deliberately humiliate Marinette. They’d found Lila throwing herself downstairs and claiming that Marinette had pushed her down it. They’d watched Marinette be bullied by her classmates for things that Lila or Chloe had done. They’d found both Lila and Chloe willingly allowing Hawkmoth’s butterflies to akumatize them. Both girls had been arrested for terrorism and were not able to use their parent’s influence to get away with their actions for once. 

One video he’d thankfully been alone for. Marinette had seemed to be talking to herself. Then she’d suddenly transformed into Ladybug.

No wonder the young girl had broken. The stress of being a bullied teen, plus the stress of being the savior of Paris? With no one to turn to about it all.

His school had broken the bravest Heroine. Not that made her near suicide any more important. It had horrified him to know that she was a child soldier. He’d been devastated and angry and full of self blame since the moment he’d run across the scene it hadn’t changed upon learning that his failures had helped nearly take out the superheroine of Paris as well.

He’d never done anything about Chloe, because of who her father was. No wonder teachers and himself had ignored the written protocol on bullying, on suspension…

How often had he allowed children to bully others without doing anything? He wanted to be a hero and help others and instead...He’d become a principal that did nothing while teachers enabled bullies and harassment had run rampant. 

He’d always intended to be the sort of teacher and then principal that protected the bullied children and punished the bullies. The teacher he’d wished for when he was a bullied kid himself.

Marinette was in the hospital recovering and receiving help. But it should not have come to this. He should have done more. He should not have caved to the mayor’s intimidation, making his teacher’s ignore her behaviors even as her victims piled up. He should not have been intimidated by the idea of punishing a diplomat’s daughter. No wonder his teachers had ignored his policies and assumed that they only applied for the poorer students whose parents had no influence.

No wonder the bright student’s light that had suddenly been so bright this year had been snuffed out. 

The blood of one of his students was on his hands. 

Principal Damocles put his head in his hands and wept for Marinette and all the other children he’d failed.

He’d never been the hero he wanted to be but it was time he stood up and did what he could to protect his students from harm. From now on he’d be the person he’d always wanted to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fanfiction search: I'm looking for a fic where Marinette as the secret MDC tries to give Alya a chance to be the one to interview her and expose who she is.... but Alya believes Lila's claims that she know MDC up until the very last second and Mari gives someone else the chance to interview her. Does anyone know which fic it is that I have a specific craving for?
> 
> Lastly does anyone have any recs for super fluffy and salty Adrienette or Marichat fics that involves Adrien protecting Marinette against his classmates and Lila? I have a mighty need.


	5. Shoes, papers, jeans, blouse, jacket, rope, face, Marinette.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who helped me find the fic I was looking for and some great fics beside! I'll thank you all tomorrow. I wanted to get this chapter out before I deleted and redid the last paragraph yet again.

Adrien’s point of view:

Even though he’d just left Marinette’s side an hour ago he couldn’t prevent the fear that before he could be at her side again she’d disappear.

The line of bruises from the noose were still visible and the events of Thursday were very vivid and yet blurred in some parts around the edges.

They had tranquilized him in his hysteria which is why some parts were blurred but some parts would stay in his mind for the rest of his life. If he remembered what humor was beyond the facts that he used to love puns, especially cat puns, he’d comment that he was treated for his hissteria… But humor had left that day.

Certain parts of that day were so burned in his mind that he didn’t think it’d ever leave him. He had to take sleeping pills in order to rest at all.

That Thursday:

Adrien missed the days he’d looked forward to going to school. Since Lila had shown up he’d quit looking forward to school. Everything was awful.

Marinette had become a walking shadow. Too pale and never smiling or speaking as she made her way to the back all alone. She sat up there by choice these days. He’d tried to speak to her but she shied away from him. She was the last one in and the first one gone. 

Lila and Chloe were always grabbing him against his own will when he tried to get to her. Or Nino was stopping him saying that he shouldn’t hang out with such a bully…

Then his father had denied all his requests to be able to hang out with his friend.

Marinette did not come in seconds before the bell rang darting upstairs. Her teachers and Damocles were considering expulsion because of Lila’s lies.

Adrien wished his miraculous granted the ability to go backwards in time. He’d go back three months ago to that first day Lila had come back. Rather than telling Marinette they shouldn’t expose her, that she wasn’t hurting anyone. He would stand up with Marinette and tell the class about the lies he knew she’d told.

But he hadn’t. He’d thought that she’d get caught out quickly or that she’d stop lying once she had friends and saw that she didn’t need to lie to get them. That her lies weren’t hurting anyone. 

That was before he saw the damage being done to Marinette right before his eyes. She was alone. He very rarely got the chance to see her alone. He did text her when he could and he got the occasional half hearted response.

He also visited her as Chat Noir. As Chat Noir he got to see the occasional smile even though they were never as bright as Marinette had shined before.

Now it was too late to stand up against Lila and be believed. What chance did he have alone? They didn’t believe Marinette. So why would they believe him? He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t have a single adult he could talk to for advice.

He might have considered Miss Bustier but he’d heard her a few weeks ago after Chloe had ripped apart a Chat Noir necklace that Marinette had made telling Marinette that she had to be the bigger person and had no right to be angry about the destruction of her property because the world needed more Marinettes and less Chloes.

He agreed with that sentiment. Chloe had been his only friend as a child because her parents were influential and had a business agreement with Gabriel but since going to school he’d begun to hate her.

The way she treated others. Ignored his requests to not be grabbed and hugged. The way despite receiving the Bee miraculous she still went around being rude and cruel to others.

He was reaching the boiling point with her and soon it would spill over leaving no childhood friendship behind.

To talk to his father, he had to schedule an appointment with Nathalie and there still might be a chance his father didn’t show up or he might have to wait weeks. Plus his father did not like to hear about his friends and lately seemed to hate Marinette. Suddenly he wasn’t allowed to see her at all. His father seemed to like Lila for reasons Adrien didn’t understand. 

After all, his father had hired her to model with Adrien.

All of the sudden, panic clenched at his heart and he ran out of the classroom calling out an excuse about needing the bathroom.

He could hear people laughing at him as he walked out.

He saw her shoes first. Not processing what he was seeing. Envelopes on the floor. Shoes he recognized, pants he recognized… No!

He screamed. He clutched at the rope, Plagg destroyed the rope, thankfully not destroying the girl with it. He called for the police.

“Marinette!” he called. Her face was still warm when he touched it to see if she was breathing. It was so shallow.

“Princess! Don’t leave me! Please don’t leave me! Don’t be dead. Please!” he heard other people screaming.

He didn’t care about anything but those shallow breaths continuing. If calling her Princess gave his secret away to her that was fine too. 

He should have done what they’d joked about a week ago, and ran away with her to a deserted island where they would eat fresh fruit and never have to deal with any of their stresses again. If he’d known that this was a possibility. He would have run from every responsibility.

The paramedics arrived and they tried to take his princess away.

“No!” he hissed at them. If he was Chat right now his tail would be pointing straight up.

Despite his attempts to keep hold of her they took her away. 

He ran after them trying to get to her. 

There was a sting and then nothing.

At first he didn’t remember when he woke up. Then all at once he remembered. Shoes, papers, jeans, blouse, jacket, rope, face, Marinette.

He wanted to throw up. He wanted to scream. Something was shaking. Someone was wailing, both were him.

Marinette! Was she alive or was she dead?

Arms were around him. Arms he knew but that hadn’t held him much since the day his mother died.

Father. Marinette must be dead if his father was holding him. If his father had taken time out of his schedule to care.

“Marinette,” he wept.

“Your friend is still alive,” his father soothed. Father soothing it had been so long. Marinette alive. “She’s in critical condition and under 24 hour supervision.”

My fault, Adrien whispered.

“She left a note for you.”

Adrien looked at the envelope. Stared at the familiar handwriting in his name. He opened the envelope and stared at the note inside.

It was like he wasn’t seeing the words.

_ You said her lies weren’t hurting anyone. But everyone hates me now. I have no friends just like before this year. _

Adrien gave a start. He hadn’t known that she’d just begun to have friends since Alya and him had joined the class.

_ I’m being expelled because of her lies. My mother said she’s disappointed in me. Even they hate me. _

_ I kept silent because you said that exposing her would do no good. Because I… _

_ It’s funny you know. I’ve tried to say something so many times. With a scarf, with my words that I was unable to get out, a confession to what I thought was a statue, with a love letter that got mixed up with an older man’s prescription I was picking up for him… _

_ And now that it doesn’t matter, I’m saying it. _

_ I love you. I fell in love with you when you handed me your umbrella and showed me that you were nothing like Chloe, just someone lonely who’d never gone to school before or had friends. _

_ I know you are in love with Kagami and that hurts… but that’s not why I did this. _

_ When you said As long as you and I know the truth does it matter. I thought it would be you and me. That I wasn’t going to be alone. _

_ But then I was alone. Then I lost everything I had worked hard to earn this year. My seat. My friends.... _

_ And I’m tired of hurting all the time. I’m tired of being told or shown that my feelings don’t matter. _

_ It was hurting someone. It was hurting me. I’m tired of being pushed over of people pretending that my feelings don’t matter. _

_ I love you. If you still considered us friends even though you never interacted with me once Lila’s lies were too strong to counteract. I’m sorry. _

_ Love, _

_ Marinette _

The letter fell from his shaking hands as his father encouraged him back into bed. 

Adrien felt like he wasn’t there. He wanted to be with Marinette. He wanted to transform into Chat and run until he stopped seeing shoes, papers, jeans, blouse, jacket, rope, face, Marinette.

He was unaware that he whispered the shoes, papers, jeans, blouse, jacket, rope, face, Marinette.

  
  


Or the way his father hung his head at Marinette’s words on the paper and his son's description of what he saw.

The way his father walked out of the room like a man defeated.

  
  


Not long after that Plagg came to him holding an envelope. “She left this for Chat Noir,” he said before nuzzling Adrien’s shoulder in an attempt at comfort.

Another letter from Marinette.

  
  
  


**_Chaton,_ **

Why was Ladybug writing to him in Marinette’s handwriting? His mind didn’t want to process what was becoming obvious

_ You were the best partner and friend a girl could ask for. _

_ But I’m done. _

_ I’m sorry to leave you behind but it hurts too much to pretend anymore. _

_ I’m going to kill myself tomorrow. _

_ I’m so sorry. _

_ My name is Marinette Dupain Cheng. I always loved your visits with me on my balcony. And I’m so sorry to leave you. _

  
  


_ I’m sorry I’m doing this to you. I can’t be strong anymore I’m sorry. You were the bright spot left in the dark but then there was too much dark and now I can’t… _

_ I’m not strong enough. It’s not your fault. _

_ Love, _

_ Marinette _

Adrien curled up in his bed and wept. His Lady was his Princess. He’d lost the two girls he’d loved. One of them he’d only realized he’d loved when she had…

Shoes, papers, jeans, blouse, jacket, rope, face, Marinette.

He threw up.

Shoes, papers, jeans, blouse, jacket, rope, face, Marinette.

He didn’t sleep that night.


End file.
